The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reminded importers that Lacey Act declarations are now required for an additional 20 products announced in February (see 1502050015), in an email sent to stakeholders on Sept. 4 (here). The 20 products, which include casks, barrels, barrelheads, tableware and kitchenware, were added to the APHIS Lacey Act Schedule of Enforcement (here) on Aug. 6, it said. The Schedule was also updated to correct an errant HTS number for used wooden casks, said APHIS. Imports of any products listed in the Schedule are subject to Lacey Act PPQ Form 505 declaration requirements, and failure to file the declaration for listed product types containing plant material may result in civil or criminal penalties and forfeiture, said the agency.
CBP’s recent delay of some mandatory use dates for the Automated Commercial Environment elicited a sigh of relief from the trade community, but much work remains to ensure a smooth transition, said customs brokers and software developers in recent interviews. The new staged approach, with deadlines in February and July 2016, gives the trade the time it needs to successfully migrate to ACE. However, familiar problems with quota-related entry types and still-unreleased software requirements by CBP and other agencies will remain hurdles to be overcome as ACE implementation continues over the coming year.
CBP posted additional details on the agency's recently revised plans for transitioning to the Automated Commercial Environment (here). CBP decided to push back some of the mandatory use dates for ACE in response to readiness concerns for the system (see 1509010017). As part of the updated schedule, beginning Feb. 28, ACE will be required for electronic entries and entry summaries, as well as for Food and Drug Administration, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Lacey Act data.
CBP made some major changes in its timeline for requiring use of the Automated Commercial Environment, allowing for Automated Commercial System filing several months beyond the original mandatory use date, the agency said Aug. 31 (here). The original Nov. 1 deadline will now begin a "transition period" where use of ACE is "encouraged," with more ACE requirements phased in through July. The changes came in response to a number of industry concerns recently lodged with CBP (see 1507290066 and 1507150063), as well as shifts in resources related to the move to ACE for Air Manifest (see 1506110007). CBP said it still plans to finish the ACE transition by Oct. 1, 2016 (here), ahead of the completion of the International Trade Data System by the end of 2016, as required by a 2014 White House executive order (see 14021928).
CBP said it created Harmonized System Update (HSU) 1506 on Aug. 24, containing 10,074 ABI records and 1,696 harmonized tariff records. The update includes the addition of Partner Government Agency indicators for future Lacey Act submissions, said CBP (here). Adjustments required for the verification of the 2015 Harmonized Tariff Schedule are also included, CBP said in a CSMS message. The modified records can be retrieved electronically via the procedures indicated in the CATAIR. Further information: Jennifer Keeling, Jennifer.Keeling@dhs.gov.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:
CBP said its Harmonized System Update (HSU) 1505 was created Aug. 18, containing 2,229 ABI records and 304 harmonized tariff records. The update includes the addition of Partner Government Agency indicators for future Lacey Act submissions, said CBP (here). It also includes changes due to the Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 (see 1506290045). Adjustments required for the verification of the 2015 Harmonized Tariff Schedule are also included, CBP said in a CSMS message. The modified records can be retrieved electronically via the procedures indicated in the CATAIR. Further information: Jennifer Keeling, Jennifer.Keeling@dhs.gov.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Aug. 3-7 in case they were missed.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related issues:
The Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Agricultural Marketing Service are soliciting participants for pilot programs testing filing and release through the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE). The APHIS pilot (here) will test the electronic submission of Lacey Act import declaration data for imports of plant and plant products. The AMS pilot (here) will test electronic submission of data required for fruits, vegetables and specialty crops subject to federal marketing orders.